Plug-in air diffuser subassembly for a variety of suspended ceiling framework

ABSTRACT

A plug-in air diffuser subassembly has a pair of opposed and spaced end walls to which side walls are riveted to form an air distribution passage therethrough, and a pair of spaced protrusions extending laterally of the end walls and inwardly of the subassembly to frictionally mount a pair of cambered nested weirs in the air distribution passage; the subassembly plugs into a space formed between a pair of parallel inverted T-bar cross runners with the lower portion of the subassembly end walls resting on adjacent T-bar main runners. Each weir has a nonlinear cambered body or web to cause the ends of the nested weirs to resiliently spread apart prior to being mounted between the protrusions. The end walls, each have a resilient block or spring arm to snap under the head ridge of an associated main runner. The subassembly side walls have integral inwardly folded lips along the upper portions to receive and locate extractor, blankoff and bridge plates or channels as well as an associated inverted continuous air ducts with the upper edges of the end walls having resilient blocks to bias the plates or channels against the inwardly folded lips.

States ate 1191 te a Lambert PLUG-IN AIR DIFFUSER SUBASSEMBILY FOR A VARIETY OF SUSPENDED CEILING FRAMEWORK [75] Inventor: Robert R. Lambert, Glendora, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Wehr Corporation, Wilwaukee, Wis. 22 Filed: Mar. 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 123,220

[52] 11.8. C1 98/40 D, 52/303, 137/212 [51] Int. Cl F241 13/00 [58] Field of Search 137/212; 98/114,

98/40 D, 40 DL; 52/303 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,238,860 3/1966 ODay et a1; 98/40 D Primary ExaminerWilliam E. Wayner AttorneyMiketta, Glenny, Poms & Smith [57] ABSTRACT A plug-in air diffuser subassembly has a pair of opposed and spaced end walls to which side walls are riveted to form an air distribution passage therethrough, and a pair of spaced protrusions extending laterally of the end walls and inwardly of the subassembly to frictionally mount a pair of cambered nested weirs in the air distribution passage; the subassembly plugs into a space formed between a pair of parallel inverted T-bar cross runners with the lower portion of the subassembly end walls resting on adjacent T-bar main runners. Each weir has a non-linear cambered body or web to cause the ends of the nested weirs to resiliently spread apart prior to being mounted between the protrusions. The end walls, each have a resilient block or spring arm to snap under the head ridge of an associated main runner. The subassembly side walls have integral inwardly folded lips along the upper portions to receive and locate extractor, blank-off and bridge plates or channels as well as an associated inverted continuous air duets with the upper edges of the end walls having resilient blocks to biasthe plates or channels against the inwardly folded lips.

28 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 11, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z w w NM MNW M VA MN m B lPLUG-IN AIR DIFFUSER SUBASSEMBLY FOR A VARIETY OI SUSPENDED CEILING FRAMEWORK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to building ventilation suspended ceiling integrated air diffuser assemblies, and more particularly to a diffuser subassembly adapted to plug into a preexisting framework of main runners and cross runners.

conventionally, the suspended ceiling tile supporting framework of a room is installed before the air conditioning system with its air plenum chambers and/or inverted continuous air duct and air diffuser assemblies. The framework of such ceilings usually involves main runners and cross runners of inverted T-bar shape which divide the ceiling area into a plurality of rectangular spaces. After the framework is completely installed, the air diffuser assemblies are mounted between the main runners. By way of example, in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,406,623 I disclose an air diffuser assembly adapted to be seated on preexisting inverted T-bar runners for the ceiling, and in the alternative embodiment therein to straddle certain of the preexisting inverted T-bar runners. As another example, in my copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 815,835 filed Apr. 14, 1969, I disclose a plurality of air diffuser subassemblies each having spaced side walls defining an air distribution passage therebetween and mounted in a linear array transversely of a plurality of preexisting suspended ceiling main runners. In both of the above examples, a continuous air supply plenum chamber is mounted on two or more adjacent subassemblies with a continuous supply outlet therein extending across the associated intersecting runner.

The diffuser subassemlby according to this invention has improvements over the previous examples of diffuser assemblies which add to the versatility of the air diffuser, making it applicable to several varieties of suspended ceilings. The improved air diffusersubassembly, according to this invention, is easy to install, easily maintained in the ceiling framework, and easily removable if necessary as well as being adjustable to change the air flow pattern in the room below. The subassembly, according to this invention, is capable of mounting air control members as blankoffs and extractors, and additionally, is capable of mounting a bridge member permitting the separation of the ends of the subassemblies farther than before to permit the passage of parallel main runners therebetween. The improvement in the diffuser subassembly, according to this invention, is aesthetically pleasing when viewed from below because of the hiding of the means supporting the subassembly from the main runners.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore it is the primary object of this invention to provide a versatile plug-in air diffuser subassembly for use in a variety of suspended ceilings.

Other additional objects of this invention are to provide a diffuser subassembly which mounts in the spaces between inverted T-bars of suspended ceilings, to provide such an air diffuser subassembly which may be carried by and located between cross runners and main runners of a suspended ceiling, to provide such an air diffuser subassembly which is releasably secured be tween main runners, to provide such an air diffuser subsuch an air diffuser subassembly which is economical to manufacture, easy to install, maintained in position, attractive in appearance, and easily removable if so desired.

Generally, the plug-in air diffuser subassembly of the present invention is adapted for integration into a preexisting suspended ceiling of intersection main and cross runners with an inverted continuous air duct having an outlet associated therewith to provide air distribution to the subassembly. The subassembly may include spaced side walls and end walls defining an air distribution passage therebetween with air control means mounted relative to said walls for controlling the flow of air through said subassembly. Nested U-shaped weirs are provided with a nonlinear or a cambered body or web when in a free state, to cause the weir free ends to normally spread apart but which are located in the air distribution passage with the ends being compressed and inserted between parallel inwardly extending protrusions on associated end walls of the subassembly to'be frictionally held in any desired relatively contracted or extended position. Another aspect of the improvement according to this invention includes the provision of an air control member locating means in the subassembly comprising opposed inwardly directed lips formed in the upper portions of the side walls for retaining at least some of the air control means thereunder. The air control means may be any of an extractor, blank-off, bridge, plates or channels with the lips spaced above the upper edges of the end plates to receive either plates or channels respectively. The subassembly end wall may have a foot for seating on the lower flange of an associate runner, may have outwardly extending spaced protrusions mounting a rubber block which extends to the web of an associated runner, may have resilient arm for resiliently catching under the head ridge of an associate runner, may have upwardly extending spaced shoulders mounting a rubber block to extend to an associated plate or channel, and may have downwardly protruding hooks extending over the head ridge of an associated runner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a suspended ceiling framework having parallel inverted T-bar main runners and cross runners, and having the improved plug-in air diffusers subassemblies, according to this invention, located therein and mounting an inverted continuous air duct with a continuous air outlet over the diffuser subassemblies.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of an end wall for the plug-in diffuser subassembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view taken along the plane IIIIII of FIG. ll showing in the left portion, a preferred embodiment of the subassembly and in the right portion, an alternative preferred embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. fl is a cross section of view taken along the plane IV-IV of FIG. 3 showing the construction of the preferred embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane V-V of FIG. 3 showing the construction of the alternative preferred embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. 6 of the side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the subassemblies, according to this invention,

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane VII--VII of FIG. 6 showing a construction of the alternative embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of another form of an end wall, for use primarily with the alternative embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the cambered nested weir members for use with the subassembly.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of another alternative embodiment of the subassemblies, according to this invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane XI-XI of FIG. 10 showing the construction of the other alternative embodiment of the subassembly.

FIG. 12 is fragemntary perspective view of the other alternative embodiment of the subassembly according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures, and particularly to FIG. 1, the plug-in air diffuser subassembly with the improvements according to this invention is generally denoted by the number 10. The plug-in air diffuser subassembly 10 is shown located in a suspended ceiling framework 11 of parallel inverted T-bar main runners 12a and parallel inverted T-bar cross runners 12b. The main runners 12a and the cross runners 12b, each have a horizontal lower or bottom flange 13 from which a vertical web 14 extends upwardly to terminate in a head ridge 15 along the upper edge of the vertical web 14. The cross runners 12b may or may not be directly attached to the main runners 12, as will be explained later. If the cross runners 12b are attached to the main runners 12a, the intersection thereof has connectors 16 extending therebetween. Each connector 16 has tab 17 inserted to slots 18 in the vertical webs 14 of the runners 12 to form the suspended ceiling framework 11.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the suspended ceiling framework 11 hangs from a real ceiling or soffet (not shown). The suspended ceiling is divided by the runners into'a plurality of rectangular shaped areas to separate an attic space 19 thereabove from the room space 20 below. An inverted continuous air duct is conventionally located in the attic space 19 above the suspended framework 11. The air duct 25 has walls 26, the lower edges of which, form a downwardly facing continuous air outlet 27. Clips 28 mount the air duct 25 along the plug-in air diffuser subassemblies 10, over the suspended ceiling framework 11, as will be explained later.

Generally the plug-in air diffuser assembly 10 of the exemplary embodiments includes parallel side walls 30 and end walls with mounting means mounting the walls 30 and 35 together to define an air distribution passage therebetween. Means including feet 51 on the side walls 30 and feet 52 on the end walls 35, are provided for mounting the subassembly 10 to the runners l2. Resilient locating and securing means 50 are provided for centering the subassembly 10 between the main runners 12 and for releasably securing the subassembly 10 to the main runners 12. Air control means 69, having air control member locating means including lips 71 on the side walls 30 and resilient blocks 74 on the end walls 35, and having air control members such as extractors 85, blank-offs and bridges as well as cambered nested weir means 100, are provided.

The improvements, according to this invention, are shown illustratively in several forms and in conjunction with several embodiments of the subassembly 10. The left portion of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a preferred embodiment. The right portion of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 show an alternative preferred embodiment. FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment. FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 show another alternative embodiment. FIGS. 2, 8, and 9 show the details of the subassembly 10 which may be used with all embodiments.

In its most basic essence, the subassembly 10 includes a pair of end walls 35 for mounting nested weir means therebetween; the weir means including upper and lower nested channel member 101 and 102 which have been cambered as explained hereinafter. Subassemblies of end walls 35 and weir means 100 may be located between main runners 12a so that the webs 14b of the cross runners 12b act as sides. Contraction or extension of the nested weir means 100 will control the flow of air through the space between the main runners 12a and cross runners 1212.

As a first addition to the basic subassembly, the locating and securing means 60 may be added to the end walls 35 to locate the end walls 35 on the main runners 12a and releasably secure the end walls 35 to the main runners 12a. A second addition may be the provision of feet 52 on the end walls 35. There are a great many other additions that may be made, such as adding side walls 30, etc. to the basic subassembly 10 and many of these have been combined, to give the preferred and alternative embodiments.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 wherein the preferred embodiments are shown, the side walls 30 of the subassembly 10, each have a lower flat portion 31 with a longitudinal crease or jag 32 therein to provide an upper flat portion 33 which is spaced from the plane of the lower flat portion 31. The side walls 30 are mounted to end walls 35 as illustrated. The end walls 35 are shown in various forms having features which will be discussed later but each of these forms of end walls 35 have a vertical web 36.

The subassembly 10 is provided with mounting means 40 for mounting the side walls 30 to the end walls 35. The mounting means 40 include cylindrical grooves 41 formed in the web 36 of each end wall 35. Suitably located holes 42 are provided in the upper flat portion 33 of each side wall 30 through which rivets or screws 33 pass to be secured in the cylindrical grooves 41 to secure the side walls 30 to the end walls 36 to deflne an air distribution passage 45 therebetween.

The means 50 according to this invention for mounting the subassembly 10 the runner 12 is illustratively shown in a variety of forms. As shown in FIG. 4, and inwardly folded foot 51 is provided on the lower flat portion 31 of theside walls 30 for resting against the bottom flanges 13b of the cross runners 12b.

The means 50 also includes a lower foot 52 on several forms of the end wall 35 for seating on the upper side of the bottom flange 13a of the associated adjacent main runner 12a. The'form of the end wall 35 as shown in FIG. 3, has a horizontal leg 53 extending outwardly from the vertical web 36 of the end wall 35, above the plane of the lower foot 52. The horizontal leg 53 is joined at its outer end, to the upper end of a vertical leg 54 extending downwardly to be joined to the foot 52. The purpose of the horizontal and vertical legs 53 and 54 is to join the foot 52 to the vertical web 36 of the end wall 35 without the juncture of the foot 52 being visible from below the suspended ceiling. By hiding the juncture of the foot 52 with the vertical web 36, the subassembly when viewed from below is not noticeable and so does not interrupt the appearance of the suspended ceiling.

In FIG. 2, the form of end wall 35 shown, is not provided with a foot, and so the inwardly folded feet 51 of the side walls 30 resting against the bottom flanges 13b of the cross runners 12b support the subassembly 10. In the left portion of FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, the inwardly folded feet 51 of the side walls 30 and the lower feet 52 of the end walls 35 are seated on the bottom flanges 13a and 13b of the main and cross runners 12a and 12b and together support the subassembly 10. In the right portion of FIG. 3 and FIGS, the cross runners 12b are mounted to the side wall 30 by runner mounting means 55 including holes 56 in the cross runners 12b and holes 57 in the lower portions 31 of the side walls 30 with rivets or screws 58 extending through holes 57 and 56 to secure the cross runners 12b to the side walls 30. The lower feet of 52 of the end walls 35 seated on the bottom flanges 13a of main runners 12a support the subassembly 10 with the cross runners 12b mounted thereon. Thus, the subassembly 10 can be supported solely by the cross runners 12b, solely by the main runners 12a, or by both main and cross runners 12a and 12b as desired or required for installation in a particular suspended ceiling framework 11.

If the suspended ceiling framework has properly located cross runners 12b previously secured to the main runners 12a and properly located for receiving the subassembly 10, then the preferred embodiment of the subassembly 10 may be used. If the cross runners 12!; have not been previously secured to or are not properly located on the main runners 12, then the alternative preferred embodiment of the subassembly 10 may be used to provide suitably located cross runners 12b'as well as to provide the subassembly 10 in the suspended ceiling framework 11. It should be noted that with'the provision of either the preferred embodiment or the alternative preferred embodiment of the subassembly 10, the suspended ceiling framework 11, when viewed from below, appears exactly the same.

Another of the improvements according to this invention in the subassembly 10 is the provision of resilient locating and securing means 60 for centering the subassembly 10 between the main runners 12a and for releasably securing the subassembly 10 to the main runners 12a. In the preferred embodiment, the means 60 includes outwardly extending horizontal spaced protrusions 61 on the vertical web 36 of each end wall 35. The protrusions 61 have located therebetween a relsilient block 62 which extends outwardly from between the protrusions 61 to engage the vertical web 14a of an adjacently associated main runner 12a. The resilient block 62 on one end wall 35 of the subassembly 10 together with the resilient block 62 on the opposite end wall 35 of the subassembly 10 centers the subassembly 10 between the vertical webs 14a of the main runners 12a and frictionally holds the subassembly 10 to the main runners 12a.

Another improvement according to this invention in the subassembly 10 is the provision of air control means 69 for controlling the flow, the direction, and the volume of air from the outlet 27 of the inverted continuous air trough 25 to the suspended ceiling frame work 11. The air control means 69 includes air control member locating means 70, and air control members 80 such as extractors 85, blank-offs 90, bridges 95, and nested weir means 100.

The air control member locating means 70 of the preferred embodiment has inwardly folded lips 71 integrally formed in the upper flat portion 33 of the side walls 30. As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, the lips 71 of the preferred embodiment are spaced above the upper edges 72 of the end walls 35. In the preferred embodiment, the upper edge 72 of the end wall 35 has spaced vertically parallel protrusions 73 with a resilient block 74 received therebetween, to extend upwardly from between the protrusions 73 towards the lips 71 of the side walls 30.

The air control members of the preferred embodiment include channels 81 having sides 82 with a web 83 extending therebetween. The channels 81 may be extractor channels 85, blank-off channels 90, or bridge channels 95.

As best seen in the right portion of subassembly 11) of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the extractor channel 85 has a se ries of holes 86 through the web 83 with a vane 87 for each hole 86, extending upwardly from the web 83. The extractor channel 85 has the sides 82 thereof inserted under the lips 71, with the resilient blocks 74 engaging the web 83 thereof to bias the extractor channel 85 upwardly into the lips 71 and to locate the web 83 containing the holes 86 and the vanes 87 in the air distribution passage 45 of this particular subassembly 10. Supply air from the continuous outlet 27 of the continuous air duct 25 passes through the holes 86 and is directed by the vanes 87 through air distribution passage 45 to be diffused throughout the room by the diffuser subassembly 10.

As best seen in the left portion of the subassembly 16 of FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, the blank-off channels 90 have an imperferate web 83. When the blank-off channel 90 has its sides 82 located under the lips 71 and adjacent the side walls 30, with the resilient block 74 engaging the web 83 to bias the blank-off channel 90 upwardly, the imperferate 83 is located over the air distribution passage 45 to block the passage of air from the continuous outlet 27 of the continuous air duct 24 through the air distribution passage 45. Knockout plates 91 may then be removed from the upper flat portion 33 of the side walls 30 to provide slots 92 for the passage of return air from the space 20 through the air distribution passage 45, below the blank-off channel 96, through the side walls 30 and into attic space 19 outside of the continuous air duct 25. Thus both the extractor channel 85 and blank-off channel 90 are interior air control members for location in the subassembly 10 to make the subassembly 10 either a supply or a return air control member.

The bridge channel 95 is smaller than the extractor or blank-off channels 85 and 90 as shown in FIG. 5 to fit inside of these channels. The bridge channel 95 has one end thereof inserted under the lips 71 of one subassembly 10, and the other end thereof inserted under the lips of the associated adjacent subassembly 10, with the central portion thereof extending between the end walls 35 of adjacent subassemblies over the main runners 12a to block the outlet 27 of the continuous air duct 25 over the main runners 12a. The bridge channel 95 is provided with a resilient gasket or block 96 extending between the sides 82 to prevent the longitutional passage of air between adjacent diffuser subassemblies 10 along the bridge channel 95. Thus the extractor channel 85, blank-off channel 90 and bridge channel 95 all operate to control the flow of air from the outlet 27 of the air duct 25 into the room space and the return of air from the room space 20 into the attic space 19 outside of the air duct 25.

A further improvement in the subassembly 10 is found in the nested weir means 100. Nested weir means were first disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,411,425 entitled Air Diffuser Outlet With Laterally Adjustable Weir Control. The nested weir means of the subassembly 10 are an improvement on my previously disclosed nested weir means and include an upper channel member 101 and a lower channel member 102. In the improved nested weir means 100 according to this invention, each of the channel member 101 and 102 have the body or web thereof longitutionally cambered or bentapproximately of one-sixteenth in. per foot of length. When the upper and lower cambered channel member 101 and 102 are located in nested relation-, ship, the free ends of the members 101 and 102 as shown in FlG. 9 tend to separate a distance greater than the separation of the protrusions 103 on end walls 35. By compressing the free ends, the camber of the channel members 101 and 102 can be temporarily removed, but upon release of the free ends, the camber separates the free ends again. The protrusions 103 have opposed spaced surfaces 104 defining a weir receiving cavity 105. The spacing between the surface 104 is such that the free ends of the cambered nested channel members 101 and 102 must be compressed for insertion into the weir receiving space 105 with the camber of the members 101 and.102 upon release of the free ends, being resisted by the surfaces 104, to provide for frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members 101 and 102 in any relative position in which they are manually positionable. The channel members 101 and 102 may then be extended or contracted as desired to control the flow of air from the outlet 27 of the air duct through the air distribution passage 45 and into the room space 20 therebelow.

To install the plug-in air diffuser subassembly 10, with the improvements according to this invention, in an existing suspended ceiling framework 11 of parallel main runners 12a and parallel cross runners 12b, the subassembly 10 with or without an appropriate extractor channel 85 or blankoff channel 90 is inserted into the space between the main runners 120 until the subassembly 10 sits on the bottom flanges 13 of the main runners 12a or the cross runners 12b or both, as previously described. A bridge channel 95 then can be assembled by inserting one end into the one subassembly 10 while positioned to extend across the gap between the main runners 120; the other end can then be inserted into the adjacent associated subassembly 10 to close the gap between the main runners 12a. The air duct 25 is then mounted to the subassembly 10 by the clips 28 thereon, with the continuous outlet 27 thereof located over the extractor channels 85, the blankoff channels 90, and the bridge channels 95. The nested weir members 101 and 102 may be contracted or extended as desired to obtain the desired flow rate of air through the air distribution passage of the subassemblies 10.

Referring now primarily to FlGS. 6, 7, and 8, the subassemblies 10 are shown in an alternative embodiment. Each subassembly 10 of the alternative embodiment has generally flat side walls 30 joined by mounting means to the generally flat end walls 35 to define an air distribution passage 45. The means of the alternative embodiment for mounting the subassembly 10 to the runners 12 include outwardly folded feet 52 on both the side walls 30 and the end walls 35.

The resilient locating and securing means of the alternative embodiment includes a spring arm 63 riveted at 64 to the web 36 of each end wall 35. The spring arm 63 extends outwardly from the vertical web 36 and upwardly therefrom to, as best seen in FIG. 6, catch under the head ridge 15 of an adjacent associated main runner 12a. The spring arms 63 of opposite end walls 35 extending oppositely under respective head ridges 15 thus releasably lock the subassembly 10 to the main runner 12a until released therefrom.

The air control means 69 of the alternative embodiment, includes air control locating means 70 having inwardly folding lips 71 and an upper edge 72 on the end wall 35. The air control members of the alternative embodiment are plates 84 and so the inwardly folding lips 71 are located above the upper edges 72 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the plates 84. Theplates 84 may be interior plates such as extractor plates 85 and blankoff plates 90, or may be bridge plates for extending between the end walls 35 of adjacent associated subassembly 10. The bridge plates 95 as is seen in FIG. 6 are in a butting relationship with either the extractor plates 85 or the blankoff plates 90. The end walls 35 have protrusions 103 for receiving the cambered nested upper and lower channel members 101 and 102 as in the preferred embodiment.

The installation and operation of the alternative embodiment of the plug-in air diffuser subassembly 10 is substantially identical to the operation of the preferred embodiment of the subassembly 10 and therefore the description of this installation and operation will not be repeated.

Referring now primarily to FIG. 10, 11 and 12, the subassemblies 10 are shown in another alternative embodiment. This other alternative embodiment is best suited for installation into a suspended ceiling 11 having recessed main-runners 12a and flush cross-runners 12b which mount ceiling tile 21 having side opening notches 22 into which raised bottom flanges 13b extend.

Each subassembly 10 of the other alternative embodiment has generally flat side walls 30 which have inwardly extending bottom flanges 34 flush with the ceiling tile 21 and outwardly extending raised bottom flanges 34. The raised bottom flanges 34 are suitably located for insertion into the notches 22, to mount ceiling tile 21. The side walls 30 are joined by mounting means 40 to the end walls 35 to define an air distribution passage 45.

The means 50, of the other alternative embodiment, for mounting the subassembly 10 to the runners 12 includes a vertical leg 54 extending downwardly from the lower spaced shoulder 61 of each end wall 35 to rest on an adjacent bottom flange 13a of an adjacent main runner 12a. The means 50 also includes the provision of extension hook portions 59 in the side walls 30 for hooking over the head ridges a of the main runners 12a. The combination of the hook portions 59 and the vertical leg 54 mounts the subassembly it) between the main runners llZa.

The resilient locating and securing means 60 of the other alternative embodiment includes spaced shoulders 61 contain the resilient block 62 therebetween. The air control means 69 of the other alternative embodiment includes air control locating means 70 of inwardly folding lips 71 and the spaced vertically parallel protrusions 73 on each end wall 35 and containing a resilient block 74. The control members 80 are channels 81 formed into either extractors 85 or blank-offs 941?. As the resilient blocks 74, and 62, seal the end walls 35 to the main runners 12a between the ends of the extractors 85 and or blank-offs 96), there appears to be no need for a bridge 95. if, however, air leakage past the ends of the extractors 85 or the blank-offs 90 develops, then a bridge 95 with a gasket block 96 could be inserted therebetween to halt such air leakage, just as in the preferred embodiment.

To complete the sub-assembly H), the end walls 35 of the other alternative embodiment are provided with protrusions 103 for receiving the cambered nested upper and lower channel members 101 and 102, as before.

The other alternative embodiment of the subassembly 10 is installed by removing the ceiling tile 21, inserting and hooking the sub-assembly 10 betweenthe main runners 12a, ready to receive the air ducts 25. After the air ducts 25 is mounted on the sub-assembly lit), correctly sized ceiling tiles 21 are slid over' the spaced bottom flanges 34 to complete the ceiling Ill. The operation of the other alternative embodiment of the plug-in air diffuser sub-assembly 10 is substantially as previously described and so will not be repeated.

Thus, it can be seen by those skilled in the art that the plug-in air diffuser subassembly with improvements therein according to this invention maybe integrated with a variety of suspended ceilings to achieve the various objects and attain the various advantages therefore noted hereinbefore.

I claim:

1. A diffuser weir subassembly comprising:

a pair of spaced end walls having opposed protrusions extending from the walls to form a weir receiving space therebetween, and

a pair of nested channel members positioned between said end walls and in said weir receiving space, each of said channel members being provided with a resilient non-linear web when in a free state, said nested channel members being pressed towards each other between and by said endwall protrusions to provide for frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable.

2. The subassembly as in claim ll wherein the spaced end walls are provided with resilient locating and securing means for positioning and holding the end walls between vertical webs of parallel ceiling tile supporting runners of an associated suspended ceiling framework.

3. The subassembly as in claim 2 wherein the resilient locating and securing means include the provision of parallel spaced protrusions extending outwardly from the spaced end walls, and a resilient block located between and outwardly of said protrusions to extend to an adjacent web of said runners.

41. The subassembly as in claim 2 wherein the resilient locating and securing means includes an upwardly directed resilient arm secured to each end wall, said arm extending outwardly from the end wall to catch under a head ridge of an adjacent runner until released.

5. The subassembly as in claim 1 wherein the side walls provided to extend between the end walls to define therewith an air distribution passage in which the nested channel members are located, said side walls having opposed inwardly directed lips formed in the upper portion thereof for retaining air control means thereunder in the air distribution passage.

6. A method of assembling a diffuser control weir in an air diffuser having a pair of opposed aligned and spaced protrusions on opposite end wall to define a weir receiving space therebetween, said weir constituting a pair of relatively movable imperforate channel members in opposed nested relationship, comprising the steps of:

providing each of the channel members with a camber, when in a free state, to cause the free ends of the nested channel members to separate a distance greater than the distance between said spaced protrusions, pressing said free ends towards each other with said channel members in nested relationship against the biasing of the camber provided therein,

inserting said free ends into the weir receiving space between said aligned and spaced protrusions and,

. releasing said ends whereupon the camber of the nested channel members biases the ends of the nested channel members into frictional engagement with said spaced protrusions of the air diffuser to hold the nested channel members in any desired position relative to each other in which they are manually positionable.

7. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the air control means includes an air control member and wherein the opposed lips are spaced above the upper edge of the end walls to receive the air control member positioned over the end walls and under the lips with sides of the air control member adjacent the side walls of the assembly, to locate the center of the air control member across at least a portion of the air distribution passage.

3. The improvement as in claim b wherein the end walls are provided with a pair of parallel spaced protrusions extending vertically upwardly, and wherein a resilient pad is located between the upwardly extending protrusions, to extend upwardly and engage the air control member, received under the lips of the side walls, to bias the air control member upwardly against the underside of the lips and to seal the gap between the end wall and the air control member to prevent the flow of air therethrough.

9. The improvement as in claim 3 wherein the air control member is a plate and the lips are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the plate to receive the plate positioned over the end wall and under the lips, to locate the plate between the side walls across a portion of the air distribution passage.

10. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the air control member is a channel with spaced sides joined by a web therebetween, and the lips are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls a distance substantially equal to the height of the spaced sides to receive the channel member positioned over the end wall and under the lips, with the sides of the channel adjacent the side walls of the subassembly to locate the web across at least a portion of the air distribution passage.

11. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the air control member is provided with a plurality of holes therein and a vane for each hole extending from the member, the air from the outlet of the duct being directed by the vanes through the holes and through the air distribution passage to be diffused.

12. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the member is provided with an imperforate center for blocking the passage of air from the outlet of the air duct to the air distribution passage, and wherein the side walls of the subassembly are provided with slots therethrough for passage of air from the air distribution passage, under the member, into the space above the framework and outside the air duct.

13. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein two such subassemblies are aligned in said framework and are interrupted by at least one inverted T-bar runner of the ceiling tile supporting framework passing between adjacent ends thereof and wherein the air control member is provided with an imperforate center and is positioned with one end thereof under the lips of one of the aligned diffuser subassemblies and with the other end thereof under the lips of the other of said aligned diffuser subassemblies to provide a bridge to close a gap therebetween over said one runner and under the outlet of the air duct to block the passage of air from the outlet through said gap.

14. The improvement as in claim 14 wherein the air control member provides a bridge extending between adjacent ends of a spaced pair of said aligned subassemblies across a spaced pair of runners.

15. The improvement as in claim 15 wherein each aligned subassembly is provided with an interior air control member positioned under the lips of its sides and the bridge air control member ends are positioned under the lips of adjacent aligned subassemblies in a butting relationship with ends of the adjacent interior air control members.

16. The improvement as in claim 15 wherein the air control members are channel members with spaced sides joined by a web, wherein lips of the side walls are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls to receive an interior channel member over an end wall and under the lips, with the sides of the channel members adjacent the side walls of the subassembly, and wherein the bridge air control member is a channel member sized to fit between the sides of the interior channel members and extend across the gap.

17. The improvement as in claim 17 wherein the bridge channel member contains a block of resilient material to prevent the passage of air between its sides longitudinally therealong.

18. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the subassembly is positioned longitudinally along and between pairs of runners with ends of the lower flanges of said runners terminating in spaced relationship to a side edge of the lower flange of another of said runners which intersects said pair of runners wherein said runners are secured to the subassembly and wherein at least one end wall of the subassembly is provided with a foot which extends longitudinally away from the subassembly end wall to rest on said last mentioned lower flange to mount said subassembly and said runners secured thereto.

19. The improvement as in claim 19 wherein said one end wall is provided with a horizontal leg extending outwardly therefrom above the plane of the foot, said horizontal leg being joined at the outer end to a vertically downwardly extending leg joined at the lower end to the foot, to hide the juncture between the foot and the end wall, when viewed from below said framework.

20. The improvement as in claim 8, wherein at least one of said subassembly end walls is provided with resilient locating and securing means for locating and resiliently holding the subassembly centrally between the webs of adjacent runners.

21. The improvement as in claim 21 wherein the subassembly end walls are each provided with a pair of spaced parallel protrusions extending horizontally outwardly, and wherein a resilient block is located between each pair of spaced protrusions and extends outwardly from the associated end wall to engage the web of an adjacent runner to space such end wall from the web of the adjacent runner and to resiliently hold the end wall stationary relative thereto.

22. The improvement as in claim 21 wherein the runners are provided with head ridges along the upper edges of the webs and wherein the resilient locating and securing means includes an upwardly directed resilient arm secured to each subassembly end wall, said am extending outwardly from the subassembly end wall to catch under the head ridge to hold the subassembly to the associated runners until the arm is released.

23. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the subassembly end walls are provided with opposed protrusions exntending inwardly therefrom to form a weir receiving space therebetween, and wherein a pair of nested channel members are positioned between said end walls and in said weir receiving space.

24. The improvement as in claim 24 wherein each of said channel members is provided with a resilient nonlinear web when in the free state, said nested channel members being pressed toward each other between and by said end wall protrusions to provide for a frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable between said protrusions.

25. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the subassembly is positioned between a pair of runners with hook portions on said spaced sidewalls extending over the runners to mountthe sub-assemblytherebetween.

26. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the end walls are provided with a leg extending away from the sub-assembly to rest on an adjacent lower flange of adjacent runners.

27. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the end walls are provided with a leg extending away from the sub-assembly, and wherein the sub-assembly is positioned between a pair of runners with the legs resting on adjacent lower flanges of adjacent runners.

28. In a control weir for insertion between a pair of opposed aligned and spaced protrusions on opposed end walls to define a weir receiving space therebetween, said weir means constituting a pair of relatively movable imperforate channel members in opposed sions, said ends of said nested channel members being pressed towards each other between and by said end wall protrusions to provide for frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable.

* a: a a:

I UJNITEDISTATES"'PLMPEIYT' ormrl QERT F QATE ...Q.F.. QQER J Patent No. 3,757,667 Dated Sept. 11, 1973 Inventor Robert R. Lambert It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected as shown below:

In column 10, delete lines a 42 through 50 and substitute therefor:

--7.. In an air diffuser subassembly for integration into a pre-existing suspended ceiling tile supporting framework of intersecting main and cross inverted T-bar runners with an air duct having an outlet associated therewith to provide distribution to said assembly,- the improvement comprising the provision of:

spaced side walls and end wallsdefining an air diffusion passage therebetween,

air control means for controlling air flow through said air distribution passage, and

means for mounting the air control means including opposed inwardly directed lips formed in the upper portions of said side walls for retaining at least some of the air control means thereunder wherein the air control means includes an air control member and wherein the opposed lips are spaced above the upper edge of the end walls to receive the air control member positioned over the end walls and under the lips with sides of the air control member adjacent the side walls of the assembly, to locate the center of the air control member across at least a portion of the air distribution passages- Column 10 lines 51 and 51 I "8" should read -7.- Column 11, lines 1, 10, 1%, 24 and 62, "8'' should read a Line 37 "14 should read l3- and lines 41 and 48 "15 should read -l4'-.

Column 12, line 7 "19" should read -l8--, lines 14, 36, 54 and 58 "8" should read 7--, lines 19 and 28 "21" should read 20 and line 42 "24" should readv--23--.

Patent No. 5 ,667 Dated September 11 1973 Robert R. Lambert PAGE 2 Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 11., line 58, "17" should read 16 Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM po'wso (w'sg) USCOMM-DC 60376-P60 Y U.$. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2 i969 0-865-331, 

1. A diffuser weir subassembly comprising: a pair of spaced end walls having opposed protrusions extending from the walls to form a weir receiving space therebetween, and a pair of nested channel members positioned between said end walls and in said weir receiving space, each of said channel members being provided with a resilient non-linear web when in a free state, said Nested channel members being pressed towards each other between and by said end wall protrusions to provide for frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable.
 2. The subassembly as in claim 1 wherein the spaced end walls are provided with resilient locating and securing means for positioning and holding the end walls between vertical webs of parallel ceiling tile supporting runners of an associated suspended ceiling framework.
 3. The subassembly as in claim 2 wherein the resilient locating and securing means include the provision of parallel spaced protrusions extending outwardly from the spaced end walls, and a resilient block located between and outwardly of said protrusions to extend to an adjacent web of said runners.
 4. The subassembly as in claim 2 wherein the resilient locating and securing means includes an upwardly directed resilient arm secured to each end wall, said arm extending outwardly from the end wall to catch under a head ridge of an adjacent runner until released.
 5. The subassembly as in claim 1 wherein the side walls provided to extend between the end walls to define therewith an air distribution passage in which the nested channel members are located, said side walls having opposed inwardly directed lips formed in the upper portion thereof for retaining air control means thereunder in the air distribution passage.
 6. A method of assembling a diffuser control weir in an air diffuser having a pair of opposed aligned and spaced protrusions on opposite end wall to define a weir receiving space therebetween, said weir constituting a pair of relatively movable imperforate channel members in opposed nested relationship, comprising the steps of: providing each of the channel members with a camber, when in a free state, to cause the free ends of the nested channel members to separate a distance greater than the distance between said spaced protrusions, pressing said free ends towards each other with said channel members in nested relationship against the biasing of the camber provided therein, inserting said free ends into the weir receiving space between said aligned and spaced protrusions and, releasing said ends whereupon the camber of the nested channel members biases the ends of the nested channel members into frictional engagement with said spaced protrusions of the air diffuser to hold the nested channel members in any desired position relative to each other in which they are manually positionable.
 7. In an air diffuser subassembly for integration into a pre-existing suspended ceiling tile supporting framework of intersecting main and cross inverted T-bar runners with an air duct having an outlet associated therewith to provide distribution to said assembly, the improvement comprising the provision of: spaced side walls and end walls defining an air diffusion passage therebetween, air control means for controlling air flow through said air distribution passage, and means for mounting the air control means including opposed inwardly directed lips formed in the upper portions pf said side walls for retaining at least some of the air control means thereunder wherein the air control means includes an air control member and wherein the opposed lips are spaced above the upper edge of the end walls to receive the air control member positioned over the end walls and under the lips with sides of the air control member adjacent the side walls of the assembly, to locate the center of the air control member across at least a portion of the air distribution passage.
 8. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the end walls are provided with a pair of parallel spaced protrusions extending vertically upwardly, and wherein a resilient pad is located between the upwardly extending protrusions, to extend upwardly and engage the air control member, received under the lips of the side walls, to bias the air control member upwardly agAinst the underside of the lips and to seal the gap between the end wall and the air control member to prevent the flow of air therethrough.
 9. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the air control member is a plate and the lips are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the plate to receive the plate positioned over the end wall and under the lips, to locate the plate between the side walls across a portion of the air distribution passage.
 10. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the air control member is a channel with spaced sides joined by a web therebetween, and the lips are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls a distance substantially equal to the height of the spaced sides to receive the channel member positioned over the end wall and under the lips, with the sides of the channel adjacent the side walls of the subassembly to locate the web across at least a portion of the air distribution passage.
 11. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the air control member is provided with a plurality of holes therein and a vane for each hole extending from the member, the air from the outlet of the duct being directed by the vanes through the holes and through the air distribution passage to be diffused.
 12. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the member is provided with an imperforate center for blocking the passage of air from the outlet of the air duct to the air distribution passage, and wherein the side walls of the subassembly are provided with slots therethrough for passage of air from the air distribution passage, under the member, into the space above the framework and outsIde the air duct.
 13. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein two such subassemblies are aligned in said framework and are interrupted by at least one inverted T-bar runner of the ceiling tile supporting framework passing between adjacent ends thereof and wherein the air control member is provided with an imperforate center and is positioned with one end thereof under the lips of one of the aligned diffuser subassemblies and with the other end thereof under the lips of the other of said aligned diffuser subassemblies to provide a bridge to close a gap therebetween over said one runner and under the outlet of the air duct to block the passage of air from the outlet through said gap.
 14. The improvement as in claim 13 wherein the air control member provides a bridge extending between adjacent ends of a spaced pair of said aligned subassemblies across a spaced pair of runners.
 15. The improvement as in claim 14 wherein each aligned subassembly is provided with an interior air control member positioned under the lips of its sides and the bridge air control member ends are positioned under the lips of adjacent aligned subassemblies in a butting relationship with ends of the adjacent interior air control members.
 16. The improvement as in claim 14 wherein the air control members are channel members with spaced sides joined by a web, wherein lips of the side walls are spaced above the upper edges of the end walls to receive an interior channel member over an end wall and under the lips, with the sides of the channel members adjacent the side walls of the subassembly, and wherein the bridge air control member is a channel member sized to fit between the sides of the interior channel members and extend across the gap.
 17. The improvement as in claim 16 wherein the bridge channel member contains a block of resilient material to prevent the passage of air between its sides longitudinally therealong.
 18. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the subassembly is positioned longitudinally along and between pairs of runners with ends of the lower flanges of said runners terminating in spaced relationship to a side edge of the lower flange of another of said runners which intersects said pair of runners wherein said runners are secured to the subassembly and wherein at least one end wall of the subassembly is pRovided with a foot which extends longitudinally away from the subassembly end wall to rest on said last mentioned lower flange to mount said subassembly and said runners secured thereto.
 19. The improvement as in claim 18 wherein said one end wall is provided with a horizontal leg extending outwardly therefrom above the plane of the foot, said horizontal leg being joined at the outer end to a vertically downwardly extending leg joined at the lower end to the foot, to hide the juncture between the foot and the end wall, when viewed from below said framework.
 20. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein at least one of said subassembly end walls is provided with resilient locating and securing means for locating and resiliently holding the subassembly centrally between the webs of adjacent runners.
 21. The improvement as in claim 20 wherein the subassembly end walls are each provided with a pair of spaced parallel protrusions extending horizontally outwardly, and wherein a resilient block is located between each pair of spaced protrusions and extends outwardly from the associated end wall to engage the web of an adjacent runner to space such end wall from the web of the adjacent runner and to resiliently hold the end wall stationary relative thereto.
 22. The improvement as in claim 20 wherein the runners are provided with head ridges along the upper edges of the webs and wherein the resilient locating and securing means includes an upwardly directed resilient arm secured to each subassembly end wall, said arm extending outwardly from the subassembly end wall to catch under the head ridge to hold the subassembly to the associated runners until the arm is released.
 23. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the subassembly end walls are provided with opposed protrusions exntending inwardly therefrom to form a weir receiving space therebetween, and wherein a pair of nested channel members are positioned between said end walls and in said weir receiving space.
 24. The improvement as in claim 23 wherein each of said channel members is provided with a resilient nonlinear web when in the free state, said nested channel members being pressed toward each other between and by said end wall protrusions to provide for a frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable between said protrusions.
 25. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the sub-assembly is positioned between a pair of runners with hook portions on said spaced sidewalls extending over the runners to mount the sub-assembly therebetween.
 26. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the end walls are provided with a leg extending away from the sub-assembly to rest on an adjacent lower flange of adjacent runners.
 27. The improvement as in claim 8 wherein the end walls are provided with a leg extending away from the sub-assembly, and wherein the sub-assembly is positioned between a pair of runners with the legs resting on adjacent lower flanges of adjacent runners.
 28. In a control weir for insertion between a pair of opposed aligned and spaced protrusions on opposed end walls to define a weir receiving space therebetween, said weir means constituting a pair of relatively movable imperforate channel members in opposed nested relationship, the improvement comprising the provision of cambered channel members for combination in said nested relationship, each of said channel members being provided with a resilient non-linear web when in a free state, said channel members when in said nested relationship having free ends thereof separated a distance greater than the space between the protrusions, said ends of said nested channel members being pressed towards each other between and by said end wall protrusions to provide for frictional engagement therebetween to hold the nested channel members in any relative position in which they are manually positionable. 